The oral cavity and esophagus are
directly exposed to those levels, and the liver is exposed to high levels from the
portal circulation. Thus it is not surprising that diseases of the GI system,
including cirrhosis, pancreatitis, and cancers of the upper GI tract are affected by
alcohol consumption80-86. Despite these advances, the molecular genetic investigation of the AUD diagnosis faces multiple challenges moving forward.

• Treatment providers can connect you with programs that provide the tools to help you get and stay sober.
• A 2018 study also showed that genetic factors account for 40 to 60 percent of the reasons people develop AUD.14 Since that study, specific genes have been identified that link with the development of the disorder.
• For people raised by someone other than a biological parent, alcoholism in the biological parent raises the risk more than alcoholism in the adoptive parent.
• Children of people with AUD may be 2-6 times more likely to develop problems with alcohol use when compared to those whose parents do not have alcohol use disorder.
• This underscores the importance of early intervention and awareness, especially in homes where family members have a history of alcohol-related issues.

Children whose parents were open to underage drinking have an increased risk of developing alcohol addiction during adolescence or adulthood. This can happen can you inherit alcoholism through learned behavior or by having easy access to alcohol. Environmental influences may also prevent the expression of their inherited genes.

GWAS of AUD and related traits

EEGs measure overall brain activity, whereas ERPs are brain waves elicited in response to specific stimuli (e.g., a light or sound). Analysis of such electrophysiological data may reveal a subset of genes that affect these quantitative, biological phenotypes related to alcoholism (Porjesz et al. 1998, 2002). One component of an ERP is a brain wave called P300, which typically occurs 300 milliseconds after a stimulus. Previous studies had found that a reduced amplitude of the P300 wave is a heritable phenotype that correlates with alcohol dependence and other psychiatric disorders (Porjesz et al. 1998). The genetic analyses of the COGA participants identified four regions, on chromosomes 2, 5, 6, and 13, that appear to contain genes affecting the amplitude of the P300 (Begleiter et al. 1998). Genetic analyses using the diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence as the phenotype have revealed regions on several chromosomes that appear to contain genes affecting the risk for alcoholism.

This isn’t to say that people who have experienced the above will definitely develop alcohol use disorder. These factors may just make some people more likely to develop the condition. And no matter if you or your loved one believes that alcoholism is hereditary or learned, we are here to help you recover.

Environmental Risk Factors for Alcoholism

This collaborative project is funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Data collection, analysis, and/or storage for this study take place at nine sites across the United States. Because alcoholism is a complex genetic disorder, the COGA researchers expected that multiple genes would contribute to the risk. In other words, there will be no single “gene for alcoholism” but rather variations in many different genes that together, interacting with the environment, place some people at significantly higher risk for the disease.

• Certainly, genetics are passed down through families, but family history also includes the environment in which one was raised.
• This collaborative project is funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
• They would experience nausea, flushing, and rapid heartbeat even with moderate amounts of liquor.
• In regions where alcohol is either prohibitively expensive or challenging to procure, there’s a noticeable reduction in alcohol problems and misuse.
• This encompasses issues often referred to as alcohol dependence, alcohol misuse, alcohol addiction, and even the oft-used term—alcoholism.

Resurgence Behavioral Health emphasizes that while genetics contribute to alcoholism risk, environmental factors also play a significant role. Family attitudes towards drinking, exposure to alcohol during upbringing, and other external influences interact with genetic predispositions. There’s scientific research has unveiled that genetics do play a significant role in the predisposition to alcoholism. Studies involving families, twins, and adopted individuals suggest a hereditary component that contributes to vulnerability.